Rescue
by Mirrankei
Summary: Classic Who. Sarah Jane comes to terms with being left behind, and waits for a rescue.


"Yes, hello. ...Yes, I am aware this is military line, I called it. Could I please speak to the Brigadier, if he's there? ...Sorry, Lethbridge-Stewart, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Yes, he knows me, he gave me this number! ...Listen, please just tell him that Sarah Jane is calling. Smith. ...Look, I'm the assistant to the Brig's personal Scientific Consultant, please put me through! ...Yes, I'll hold."

Sarah Jane sat heavily on her luggage, no longer caring what she looked like. It had taken her this long to find a pay telephone, and her feet were killing her. UNIT was far more uncooperative from this side of things. She was sure that if the Doctor were here, he would have some comment to make about bureaucrats – and then she cut off that train of thought before it got too sad again.

The receiver clicked in her ear. "Miss Smith, how wonderful to hear from you again," the Brigadier's deadpan voice greeted her. "And what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"Good to hear from you too, Brig," she said, and winced as her voice cracked in the middle.

The amusement dropped immediately from the Brigadier's voice. "What's wrong, Miss Smith? Has something happened?"

"Oh, no. Not exactly." She took a shuddering breath. "Do you think you could send somebody to pick me up?"

"Where are you? Are you in any danger?"

"No! No, I'm fine, Brig. I just... don't feel much like walking home." She laughed. "You know what, never mind, I'll find some other way. Sorry to bother you."

"Where are you?" the Brigadier repeated.

Sarah Jane smiled to herself. "Aberdeen."

"What in hell's name are you doing in Scotland?"

"Take a wild guess," she said, laughing. "The Doctor missed his target again."

"Isn't he there with you?"

"No," said Sarah Jane. "No, he's gone."

The Brigadier stayed silent on the other end of the line. She could almost feel the disapproval radiating from his being through the telephone.

"It may take some hours to get to you," said the Brigadier. "Is there any place you can go until then?"

"Yes," Sarah Jane said with a sigh. "There are some shops and cafes a way down the road, I think. Shall I call you back from there?"

"Quite," the Brigadier agreed. "I have men on assignment elsewhere in Scotland; I'll put in a request for Doctor Sullivan to be a part of your rescue party."

"It's hardly a rescue," Sarah Jane protested. She winced at the idea of how Harry would gloat about coming to her rescue; the last thing she wanted to be was a damsel in distress; he would mock her for weeks. She smiled to herself. "Thank you."

"And if you don't mind my asking, what alien threat has the Doctor gone gallivanting off to confront this time?"

"None," she said. "He just went home." She stopped to take another shaky breath. "I think... I think this is all, for us. We just had enough."

"Hmph," said the Brigadier. "Well, he'll be hearing from us about this, mark my words."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Don't worry, Sarah Jane," he said firmly. "It's harder than you think to get rid of that man. He'll be back, whether you want him to be or not."

Sarah Jane smiled. "I suppose so," she said with a small laugh. "I don't think he can take quite that much of Gallifrey anyway, the way he talks about it."

"Precisely. He'll be back, I'm certain." He added as an afterthought, "And we'll be over to you shortly. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to put down the telephone in order to give the order. Will you be all right by yourself?"

"Of course," Sarah Jane said. "I'll see you soon."

"Right," the Brigadier said, and hung up.

Sarah Jane slowly put the telephone back on the receiver. She stepped out of the phone box, forcing her luggage through the small door. She walked for a bit down the road, but stopped shortly after. She threw her things down onto a patch of grass by the side of the road and lay down beside them. The sky was somewhat grey and cloudy, but the bright blue peeked through here and there. Eyes fixed on the sky, she put her arms behind her head and waited for someone to take her away.


End file.
